The Fiery Ninja
by AznTigress
Summary: A mysterious ninja comes to Konoha and encounters Naruto and company for the first time. What secrets does this ninja hide? Features a neverbeforeheard shinobi village of the Country of Fire, Kouengakure! -DISCONTINUED-
1. Mysterious Stranger

**A/N:** Since this IS a ninja story and IS from Japan, I'm going by the original Asian style of introducing characters by their last names first and their first names last. (Confused? Think of instead of saying Naruto Uzumaki, say instead Uzumaki Naruto. Easy, no?)

By the way, if you haven't seen _Naruto_ or any other Anime show in their original Japanese language, then some, if not all, of the Romaji words you'll read here will be unfamiliar to you. I intended for this story to be read by an Anime-enthused audience so if you don't know what any of these words/phrases mean, I suggest you go look them up in an English-Japanese dictionary because I don't want to waste time explaining each one in every chapter. I will, however, make an exception for the ninja techniques. Other than that, you're on your own.

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**Chapter 1: Mysterious Stranger**

It was another nice day in the Hidden Village of Leaf, otherwise known as Konoha. Hatake Kakashi was taking a casual stroll through the village interlocking roads and reading a very intriguing book titled "Flirting Girls." He passes by a noodle diner and the smell of ramen broth encourages him to have some lunch.

As he makes an order, three figures watch in their hiding place close by. One of them stirs eagerly in anticipation.

"Yes, this is our chance to finally catch him!" exclaims Uzumaki Naruto.

"Move your head, _baka_!" spat Haruno Sakura, who smacks the blonde boy upside the head.

"You two are so annoying," complains Uchiha Sasuke with a frown.

The three _genin_ level ninjas have been following around their _sensei_, Kakashi, for some time now in hopes of catching the man with his mask off. Ever since they were grouped and assigned to Kakashi, the _jounin_-level ninja has never once taken off his mask in their presence. The three of them have always wondered what his face looks like underneath the mask and occasionally speculates on what it might look like if the mask was taken off. But today, their investigative efforts just might pay off.

"_Oi_, _oi_, he's taking it off!" chirps Naruto with a grin.

"Let me see!" yells out Sakura, pushing Naruto's head down so she could have a better look.

Not wanting to physically get involved in the romp, Sasuke tries to look over his two teammates in hopes of catching a glimpse of Kakashi's mask-free face.

"Hey, where'd he go?" wonders Sakura.

The three of them stare at the diner to find their _sensei_ gone.

"Where'd who go?"

The surprised _genins_ jump at the sound of the voice coming from behind. They turn around to find Kakashi bent over at their level.

"Ah, Kakashi-_sensei_!" screamed Naruto.

"What were you three doing?" interrogated the masked _jounin_.

"Uh, bird-watching," stutters Sakura.

"Yeah," Sasuke adds hesitantly. "Bird-watching."

"_Honto ni_?" said Kakashi. "Since when does one bird-watch from within a thickly-dense tree?"

"Uhm, well… you see…" stutters Sakura. It seems she won't be able to talk herself and her teammates out of this situation.

"Kakashi-_sensei_! Why don't you just show us your face?" yelled out Naruto.

"I thought I already satisfied your curiosity," responds Kakashi.

"A mask underneath a mask doesn't show anything!" replies Naruto.

"Heh, I guess that was anti-climactic, wasn't it?" chuckles Kakashi, scratching his head nervously.

"Won't you please show us your face, Kakashi-_sensei_?" pleaded Sakura.

"Allright, allright," conceded Kakashi.

The three _genins_ look on eagerly as Kakashi dramatically and slowly pulls down his mask. Just before he pulls it down past his nose, a small brown-eared white dog dashes through them followed by a familiar brown-haired _genin_ wearing a hooded jacket.

"Whoa!" exclaims Kakashi after letting go of his mask and dodging out of the way of the perturbed pooch. "Ah, I'm going to be late for my mission briefing. I'll see you three later. _Ja ne_!"

With that, the white-haired _jounin_ disappears in a puff of smoke, leaving his subordinates with disappointed, open-mouthed faces.

"AHH! AKAMARU!" screams Naruto. "KIBA!"

"WE WERE SO CLOSE!" whined Sakura.

"Eh?" exclaims Kiba with a confused look on his face. "What's with you, Naruto?"

Naruto clenches his fists and grits his teeth as he tries hard to retain his composure while Sakura slumps down to the ground, tears waterfalling out of her eyes.

"Figures," sighs Sasuke.

Akamaru gives a cheerful bark.

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Outside the walls of the village, a figure slowly advances towards the skyscraper-like architecture. The person looks up towards the top of the wall, allowing the sun to reflect off the forehead protector worn above the eyes.

"So this is Konoha Village," exclaims the person.

The stranger takes the fingers of her right arm and caresses the completely smooth metal of her forehead protector, for there was no symbol etched into its surface. The blackish blue cloth of the forehead protector almost completely blends in with the 12-year-old _kunoichi's_ deep black above the shoulder long short hair. A gentle breeze blew through the area, animating the stranger's black tank top and slightly loose black pants. Over her tank top, the _kunoichi_ wore a white, hooded t-shirt jacket that possessed black lines on the shoulder, complementing the entire unique outfit. If she had not been wearing her blank forehead protector and the black gauntlets on her forearms, she would have been mistaken for a traveler. The _kunoichi_ had no intention of creating such an impression. She wanted people to regard her as a ninja the moment they set eyes on her.

"What big walls," exclaimed the _kunoichi_. "Wonder if they're compensating for something."

The young girl leaps into a nearby tree with a powerful thrust of her legs and uses her Chakra to effortlessly scale the manmade structure. Once on top of the wall the girl scans the village, looking for anything interesting.

"Such a nice-looking village," commented the ninja girl. "If I'm not disgusted by the peacefulness, I'd probably consider living here."

She jumps off the wall and falls down towards a nearby roof. Landing gracefully and gently on the shingles, she leaps off onto another roof and travels silently through the village.

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"_Kuso_!" Naruto yells out in frustration.

He crosses his arms and frowns in frustration as he sat on a rooftop landing with his teammates and close friends.

"He's late again," sighs Sakura.

Sasuke remains silent as he too becomes frustrated with their _sensei's_ habitual tardiness. It's getting late in the afternoon as still their teacher hasn't arrived yet.

"If he ever gets here, I'm going to give him a good beating," growls Naruto.

Suddenly, Sasuke takes out a _kunai_ and shoots it at an unknown target behind him. The weapon pierces the wooden deck post behind the group and becomes stuck into the structure.

"Eh?" exclaims Naruto in confusion. "Why'd you do that, Sasuke?"

In an instant, an unknown stranger appears behind the Uchiha boy and stands there back to back with the young ninja. Sasuke stands his ground as Sakura gasps in surprise.

"Forgive me," apologized the stranger. "I didn't mean to eavesdrop. I wanted to observe in order to get a sense of what Konoha ninjas are like."

Naruto gets up off the ground and glares at the seemingly threatening _kunoichi_. From the looks of her outfit which seems to be dominated by the shade, black, this stranger doesn't look like she was from around here. Her response confirms that theory.

In almost an instant, Sasuke spins around and aims a punch at the target behind him. The _kunoichi_ reacted quickly, leaping out of the boy's combat range and avoiding the attack.

Now that she was away from Sasuke, Naruto and Sakura gather near their friend and the three of them prepare for a potential fight.

"Who are you?" demanded Naruto.

The girl puts her gauntlet-wearing hands into her pockets and coolly looks at the young _shinobis_ before her.

"Name's Senko; Tora Senko," introduced the _kunoichi_.

"What do you want here?" asks Sakura.

"I'm merely a wandering _shinobi_, nothing more," answers Senko.

"Wandering _shinobi_, eh?"

Senko gasps as she turns around to find a white-haired _jounin_ suddenly behind her.

"Ah, it's Kakashi-_sensei_!" cries out Naruto.

"Kakashi?" Senko repeats quietly.

"_Konnichiwa_," greeted Kakashi with his visible eye indicating a smile underneath his mask. "Would you like to join us?"

Senko remains silent, though Kakashi gets the feeling she's willing to stay with them.

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That evening, Kakashi and his subordinates gather around a campfire with their new companion after introducing themselves. It seems they wanted to learn more about the wandering ninja.

"Your forehead protector is blank," noted Sasuke. "Where did you come from?"

"I was originally from the Hidden Village of Flame, Kouengakure no Sato," Senko answers him after a moment of silence.

"Kouengakure?" repeated Sakura. "I've never heard of it."

"That's because," began Senko gravely. "It no longer exists."

The members of Team 7's eyes open wide with astonishment. How could a village, much less a _shinobi_ village, no longer exist?

"What do you mean it no longer exists?" exclaims Naruto. "You came from that village so of course it should still exist."

"But there's one thing I don't really quite understand," Sakura speaks up. "Why is the metal plate on your forehead protector empty? Shouldn't it have the symbol of your hidden village?"

"In Kouengakure, ninja promotions work differently than other hidden villages," explains Senko. "When an Academy Student graduates, he or she receives a blank forehead protector. It is only when a _genin_ gets promoted to _chuunin_ status when the village symbol is etched into the metal. In my village, we have a higher standard for our ninjas. We want to show the other hidden villages that we were the strongest and fiercest of all ninjas."

"I see," spoke up Kakashi.

"In my village, when a _genin_ gets promoted to _chuunin_ status, the village symbol is etched into the forehead protector while the owner is still wearing it in a special ceremony," added Senko.

"_Nande_?" exclaims Naruto. "Isn't that dangerous?"

"It is," replies Senko. "If a _genin_ is not tough enough to handle the etching process, there's a possibility that the mechanism we use to etch the forehead protector will slip and kill the _genin_."

"That's so horrible," commented Sakura.

"It is that possibility that motivates all of our ninjas to be as strong as they can be in order to survive the promotion ceremony," explains Senko. "It's to ensure that only worthiest and strongest ninjas have the honor of carrying the village symbol upon their head."

"So," said Kakashi. "Why is Kouengakure no more?"

"I was only 10 years old at the time," began Senko. "I had just passed the _chuunin_ exam the day before and was preparing myself for the promotion ceremony. It seemed like an ordinary day. Promoted _genins_, including me, were all lined up for the etching ceremony. Everyone in the village was there to observe the event. It was a happy day for everyone… My family was so proud when I got the village symbol etched into my forehead protector… Then, that night… The village was attacked."

"A night assault," noted Sasuke.

"I had been away at a mission when the attack began," continued Senko. "When I returned, my entire noble family was slaughtered. My team and I soon discovered that the village was attacked by only one person… Tora Kagerou… my older brother."

Everyone in the group was shocked by the revelation, especially Sasuke.

"My team and I tried to stop him but they were all killed in the battle," continues Senko as a teardrop fell to the ground. "I was the only one left… The only survivor of the former great Kouengakure."

Everybody was silent. No one knew what to say in such a situation.

"Because I wasn't strong enough to stop my brother, I've decided to flip my forehead protector's plate around so it would show nothing," explained Senko. "I vowed I won't display the symbol of my village on my head until everyone knows of the story of my village. That's why I became a wanderer; to spread the story of my village. I may not be able to rebuild my family because I'm a girl, but I can at least try to revive Kouengakure."

"You're welcomed to stay here as long as you like," offers Sakura.

"_Arigatou_," thanked Senko.

Sasuke looks at the girl with a mutual feeling in his heart.

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**A/N:** Kouengakure (Hidden Village of Flame), or Kouen, is a _shinobi_ village I made up on my own. This is not a known village that exists in the _Naruto_ world. If it appears in _Naruto_ later, it's strictly coincidental.


	2. Sasuke likes who? Sakura is crushed!

**Chapter 2: Sasuke likes who? Sakura is crushed!**

The next morning, Sasuke went out of the village into the forest to train. As he trained, he gets the feeling someone was watching him. In the middle of his training, he quickly takes out a kunai and strikes the tree branch on his right.

"Why are you hiding?" he asks out loud.

Senko appears before him with her hands in her pockets.

"I wanted to see what you are like when you're alone," she answers him.

"What is it about me that you find so interesting?" interrogated Sasuke.

"… You fight for revenge," replies Senko.

Sasuke creases his eyes at her response. How much does she know about him?

"I can see it in your eyes," explains Senko. "Something terrible happened to you and you want revenge for what you've lost."

"In some ways," began Sasuke. "You and I are similar."

"How so?" asks Senko.

"My entire family too was also killed by my older brother," answers Sasuke. "He kept me alive so I could grow up all alone. I want to kill him for that."

Senko looks at him with apathetic eyes.

"So what happens once you actually do kill him?" she asks curiously.

Sasuke turns his eyes to the ground. He never really thought of what he'd do after he avenges his family.

"Why don't you just move on with your life instead of thinking about the past so much?" sighed Senko.

"How can you say that?" growled Sasuke. "Don't you want revenge for your family?"

"I did a long time ago," replies Senko, lowering her eyes. "After my village was destroyed, revenge was all I could think about."

She looks up at Sasuke.

"But after wandering around for two long years, revenge gets sort of tiresome," she added.

"What?" exclaims the _genin_ in surprise.

"All I want to do right now is become one of the strongest ninjas around," she tells him.

"But what about your family?" he asks her. "Don't they deserve some justice?"

"Their justice will be served once I revive my village and bring it back to its former glory," she answers sternly. "I don't need to follow my brother around just so I can kill him. It's a waste of my time on this earth."

Sasuke was struck speechless by her response.

_Revenge is a waste of time?_ he thought.

"I realized something when I was training to avenge my family and my village," said Senko. "If I'm only training to kill one person, I'll never get stronger."

"Why is that?" asks Sasuke.

"Just think about it," said Senko. "You're training hard only to get strong enough to kill one person. You will never get stronger if you focus on getting rid of one person. A mindset like that will only hinder your potential. To get stronger, you need to think big. Like Naruto with his dream of being Hokage."

_Naruto?_ thought Sasuke.

"With a goal like that, the possibilities are endless," said Senko. "That's why I've thrown away my desire for revenge and replaced it with a desire to become stronger. Besides, it's easier to make a person suffer while they're still alive."

She looks over at Sasuke, who had his eyes toward the ground.

"Don't you have a rival or something?" she asks. "I'm sure you do, being strong as you are. Why not spend your time getting stronger than your rival instead of focusing so much on revenge?"

She sees him react to this question with a glare.

"Sasuke," she says. "We were both young and weak. We cannot change the past but we most certainly can change our future. Getting revenge will only leave you empty and unhappy. Just be glad that you at least have a home to go to."

Sasuke's eyes became gentler upon hearing this. It's true he still has a home to go to, and though his family is dead, he still has his friends.

"You should feel lucky you're not alone," added Senko.

With that, the young _kunoichi_ disappears in a blur, leaving Sasuke to contemplate on her words.

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Naruto wanders the roads of Konoha aimlessly. He was bored out of his mind with Kakashi out on a _jounin_ mission and nothing to do for the day.

"_Kuso_!" he curses out loud.

"You really shouldn't be cursing so loudly."

Naruto jumps at the introduction of a bodiless voice and lands to find Senko standing near him.

"Oh, it's you Senko," he exclaims.

"Want to fight?" offers the young ninja.

"Sure," grins Naruto. "But I'll let you know beforehand: I'm really strong."

"We'll just see about that," replies Senko.

The two of them head into the rocky areas outside of Konoha, where they pick a suitable battleground for their fight. Taking their places in a large flat clearing, the young ninjas shake in anticipation of a great fight.

"Hey," spoke up Naruto. "Before we begin the fight, can you do me one favor?"

"What is it?" asks Senko.

"Could you flip your forehead protector plate around so I can see the symbol?" requested Naruto. "I want to fight you as if we're truly ninjas from different villages."

"I don't know…" said Senko hesitantly.

"Please?" encouraged Naruto. "You can still keep your promise to yourself. This is only a one-time thing."

Senko lays her fingers on the blank plate on her forehead, contemplating on what she wants to do.

"Allright then," she exclaims after a few minutes.

Naruto jumps for joy as Senko takes off her forehead protector to reverse the metal plate. Putting the clothed headband back on, she stands up proudly with her village's swirling flame symbol gleaming upon her brow.

The two young ninjas grin as they both went into their fighting stances. They simply stood there facing each other until a leaf blows by in a breeze. Using this as the initiation, the young ninjas dash towards each other exclaiming their battle cries.

"_Kage Bushin no Jutsu_!" shouts Naruto "Shadow Clone Technique!"

In seconds, the blonde ninja multiplies into twenty solid replicas of himself and attacks the _kunoichi_. Reaching her hands behind her waist, Senko pulls out two _kodachis_ and immediately takes out five of the replicas. Withdrawing her _kodachis_, Senko leaps up behind the replicas as she performs some hand seals.

"_Katon: __Gokakyu no Jutsu_!" she cries out. "Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!"

She puts her index and thumb before her mouth to blow out a large ball of fire, taking out another six Naruto replicas. She lands softly on the ground and surveys the Narutos before her.

_I've already taken out eleven of them_, she thought. _There should be nine left_.

Senko counts the Naruto replicas and opens her eyes in shock to find only seven. Suddenly, a shout sounds from behind her and she turns her head to find a replica kick her upwards. As she flew up, she watches as the other Naruto replicas surround her in midair. One by one, three of them kick her further upwards until a fifth one comes down on her with a kick. She crossed her arms in front of her chest just as the kick drives her downward fast into the ground with a great crash, creating a pit in the earth.

"_Uzumaki Naruto Rendan_!" cried out Naruto. "Uzumaki Naruto Combo!"

He lands on the ground along with his replicas around the small crater he just made with Senko's body. For a moment she just laid there, seemingly unconscious. Naruto leans over, curious to determine if she was knocked out. Suddenly, Senko jumps to her feet and performs a few hand seals, ending with the tiger seal.

"_Katon: __Faiawooru no Jutsu_!" she shouts out. "Fire Release: Firewall Technique!"

Instantly, a wall of intense fire whirls around Senko and strikes out at anything outside the wall. The rest of the replicas along with Naruto were struck by the flaming inferno and sent flying back into the ground. The blonde ninja groans from the burning pain as Senko steps out of the pit.

"Give up?" asks the _kunoichi_.

"Heh, you wish," replies Naruto as he got up. "This is only the beginning."

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Sakura browsed the shops of Konoha as she tries to decide what to do on her unexpected day off.

"What to do on such a nice day," she says to herself.

Just then, she meets up with her former friend Yamanaka Ino, now her rival for Sasuke's affection.

"Sakura," greeted Ino. "What are _you_ up to?"

"Nothing," Sakura replies sharply.

"_Baka_!" cries out Inner Sakura. "Why can't you just accept the fact Sasuke will like me better since I'm on his team! You don't stand a chance!"

Suddenly, the two girls spot the handsome Sasuke running towards them. They stand their ground, eager to see who he'll run up to. To Sakura's utter surprise and happiness, Sasuke came up to her.

"Yeah! That's right!" cries out Inner Sakura upon seeing Ino's disbelief face.

"Sasuke," exclaims Sakura.

"Sakura, I need to ask you something," panted the boy.

"What is it?" wonders Sakura.

"_Yatta_!" shouts out Inner Sakura. "Sasuke's going to ask me to be his girlfriend. This is the best day of my life!"

"Do you…" he began.

"Yes?" said Sakura with a smile.

"Do you… know where Senko is?" asks Sasuke.

"Senko?" repeated Sakura, twitching her eye.

"What the hell do you want with her!" screamed Inner Sakura.

"Yeah," replied Sasuke. "I need to talk to her. Have you seen her around?"

"Uh, nope," answers Sakura. "Not at all."

"Why do you need to talk to HER?" screamed Inner Sakura. "What's so special about HER?"

"Hmm, I thought I saw her go back into the village," contemplated Sasuke.

With that, he runs off, leaving Sakura and Ino with disappointed faces.

"Ugh, this has got to be the worse day of my life," groans Sakura.

"Same here," added Ino.

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**A/N:** _Katon: __Faiawooru no Jutsu_ (Fire Release: Firewall Technique) is a _jutsu_ I made up on my own. If it appears in _Naruto_ later, it's strictly coincidental.

All _Naruto_ techniques referenced from Wikipedia search for _Naruto_ jutsu.


	3. Battlefront! Unexpected Surprise!

**Chapter 3: Battlefront! Unexpected surprise!**

"_Kage Bushin no Jutsu_!" shouts Naruto "Shadow Clone Technique!"

In seconds, the blonde ninja multiplies into another twenty solid replicas of himself and attacks Senko.

"_Katon: Hosenka no Jutsu_!" yells out the girl. "Fire Release: Art of the Phoenix Flower Technique!"

Not willing to let him gain any upper hand, Senko shoots out several fiery blasts of fire at the replicas, depleting Naruto's clone forces.

While she was busy taking out his replicas, Naruto sneaks up behind her and shoots out handfuls of _kunais_. Senko notices the weapons and reacts by spinning around and deflecting the sharp points with her _kodachi_. Before Naruto could do anything, Senko quickly performs some hand seals.

"_Katon: Ryuka no Jutsu_!" she cries out. "Fire Release: Dragon Fire Technique"

Instantly, a long flow of fire taking the shape of a dragon blasts out at Naruto. The blonde boy crosses his arms just as the attack hits him dead on, falling to the ground charred and smoking. With the _jutsu_ done, Senko dashes under Naruto and prepares to hit him before he has a chance to make contact with the ground below. Just before he reaches her range of attack, he disappears in a puff of smoke and reappears as a burnt charcoal of a boulder.

"The _Kawarimi no Jutsu_!" exclaims Senko in surprise. "The Replacement Technique!"

Suddenly, a hand reaches out from the ground and grabs hold of one of her legs.

"_Kuso_!" she curses out loud as she is dragged down into the ground up to her waist.

Minutes later, Naruto rips out of the hard earth five feet away with a victorious grin on his face.

"What'd you think of that?" he asks her smugly. "I call it my Magic Groundhog Technique."

"You're taking me too lightly," responds Senko. "You only buried me up to my waist, leaving my arms free to do _jutsus_."

"Aww, shit," exclaims Naruto as the girl quickly does hand seals right in front of him. He turns to run away just as she finishes her hand seals.

"_Katon: Faiawooru no Jutsu_!" she shouts out. "Fire Release: Firewall Technique!"

A rush of Chakra surges upward from her feet and breaks out of the ground around her in a complete circle of fire. Unfortunately, Naruto wasn't fast enough to escape the fiery blast of the attack and is sent flying face first into the dirt. As he gets up off the ground, Senko emerges from the crater she created and stands near him.

"I'm getting bored of playing with you," she tells him. "Show me your true power."

"Heh," chuckles Naruto as he wipes some blood off the corner of his mouth. "I was thinking the exact same thing."

The two ninjas face each other as the atmosphere between them intensifies.

"I've heard quite a bit about you and the Kyubi inside of you," commented Senko.

Naruto stiffens upon hearing this. How did she know about the fox demon? "I grew up with a natural ability to know about a person just by looking into their eyes," explains Senko. "My mother once told me about a demon fox that attacked Konoha years ago. No one knew what happened to the _bijuu_ except those who resided in Konoha at the time. When I first looked into your eyes, I could tell something powerful was buried deep inside you. I only assumed that the Kyubi was sealed inside you until your reaction confirmed my suspicion."

"I see," replied Naruto. "So you wanted to fight me in order to test your theory."

"That's right," answers Senko. "And now that I know, I'm even more excited to fight you."

"What makes you think you can stand up to my Kyubi?" askes Naruto.

"Because I too possess a similar power inside of me," responds Senko.

"Is that so?" wonders Naruto. "Then let's see who's got the better and stronger Chakra."

"Bring it on," goads Senko as she and Naruto both bring out their inner Chakra.

Once powered up, the two ninjas attack one another with their bodies engulfed in Chakra, with Senko possessing a blood red aura and Naruto possessing a red-orange aura. They clash and the whole area shakes with great force.

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Far away from the battleground, several figures emerge from a rocky ridge. They all wore similar outfits consisting of bluish black shirt and pants with a brown cape over them. Each had different weapons scattered throughout their outfits. One of them was standing rigidly with his hands in a seal position and his eyes engulfed in Chakra.

"I've never seen such power," said the observer in awe.

"Is it some sort of fight?" asks one of the men.

"Looks like it," replies the observer. "Two fighters; two very powerful fighters. Their Chakra is unbelievable."

"Does one of them look like a girl?" asks the biggest member of the group, who seems to be the leader.

"I can't tell; they're moving too fast," answers the observer. "But it's a good possibility one of them could be her."

"Shall we go check them out?" asks another member. "Kagerou-_sama_?"

A muscular young man steps out of the group, his black gauntlet-wearing hands in his pockets. His net-shirt under his dark blue _chuunin_ vest lay over his sculpted chest with his semi-loose dark blue pants ruffles in a passing breeze. He brushes some of his short black hair from his face as he puts on a similar brown cape, concealing his body and exposing his head and feet.

"Yes, let's shall," replies Kagerou with a sinister grin. "I really hope it's my dear baby sister."

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Back at the battlefield, fox demon and tiger demon Chakras clash as their containers land one attack after another on each other. With a final attack, the two ninjas land on the ground facing each other, panting heavily.

"You're not too bad, Naruto," commented Senko.

"Neither are you, Senko," Naruto comments back.

The _kunoichi_ performs a series of hand seals while the boy positions his hands into one.

"_Kage Bushin no Jutsu_!" shouts Naruto "Shadow Clone Technique!"

Several solid replicas of himself appear before him. In response, Senko finishes her hand seals and gives a sly smile.

"_Hyoton: Haryu Moko_!" she shouts out. "Ice Release: Piercing Dragon, Fierce Tiger!"

"_Nande_?" exclaims Naruto in surprise. "An ice technique?"

"Did you think all I knew were fire techniques?" asks Senko. "You underestimate me."

The Naruto replicas gasp in shock as the icy dragon and tiger swept through them. In seconds, all but one of the replicas disappears in puffs of smoke. All that remained were Naruto and the replica, who was furiously building up Chakra in the original's right hand.

"I see now," said Senko as she gathers up Chakra into her right hand. "The replicas were merely a distraction for you to power up your next attack."

She holds up her arm, shaping her fingers into a claw as the Chakra around it grew stronger and stronger.

"Your _kyubi_ is no match for my _tora no youkai_," she declares firmly.

"We'll just see about that," replies Naruto.

The replica puffs away, leaving the two ninjas with powerful Chakra in their hands ready to throw the final blow. With a thrust of their legs, the two of them dash towards each other, their strongest attacks ready.

"_Tora Tsume_!" cries out Senko. "Tiger Claw!"

"_Rasengan_!" cries out Naruto. "Spiraling Sphere!"

The two powerful attacks make contact, causing a huge explosion and creating an earthquake unlike anything felt before. Once the shaking has ceased, the two ninjas fall to the ground with great big plops. They laid there on the ground, breathing heavily and groaning from lack of Chakra. Minutes later, the two began laughing cheerfully.

"That was awesome," noted Naruto.

"It would seem that we are evenly matched," added Senko.

"I guess so," said Naruto, getting up to his feet and then falling back down on his butt.

"You can still move after all that?" asks Senko moving her head up to see him. She then lays her head back down. "I admire your stamina."

Naruto chuckles happily as Senko sits up. Suddenly, a long stream of ropes wraps around the girl and pulls her back away from Naruto.

"Senko!" he cries out.

The girl struggles to free herself but she was still weak from using up so much Chakra. Just when escape was not an option, a swarm of _kunais_ severs the ropes, freeing the girl from possible capture. She felt herself being lifted up and carried back to Naruto. In an instance, Sakura and Sasuke appear before the two tired ninjas.

"Sasuke! Sakura-_chan_!" exclaims Naruto gladly.

"Are you guys okay?" asks Sasuke.

"We're fine," replies Senko. "Thanks for the backup."

"No problem," responds Sasuke.

Sakura's eye twitches at the sight of those two talking to each other so casually.

"AIYEE! WHAT IS IT ABOUT HER THAT HE FINDS SO INTERESTING?" screams Inner Sakura. "AND WHAT'S WITH THE WAY HE PICKED HER UP? WHY DID HE GIVE HER SUCH A GENTLE LOOK? ARGH!"

"Sakura-chan! Look out!" cries out Naruto.

Sakura snaps out of her thoughts to find _kunais_ coming towards them. The four young ninjas split up to avoid the sharp points of the weapons. Senko ends up behind Sasuke while Naruto lands behind Sakura. Before them stood a group of five men in similar bluish black outfits. The youngest-looking one gave the young ninjas an eerie feeling, sending chills down their spines. They figured this young man is most likely the leader. But the most prominent thing about that young man, Naruto notices, is that the forehead protector he wears sports the same symbol as Senko's. He looks over at the girl to find her shuddering as she saw the sight before her; whether she was shuddering from fear or lack of Chakra, Naruto could not determine.

"Who are you?" demanded Sasuke, taking out a handful of _kunais_.

"This does not concern you," replies the young man. "Just hand over the girl and we'll be on our way."

The Uchiha boy stands his ground, prepared to defend Senko no matter what.

"I don't think so," he says to the stranger.

"Then die," responds the stranger, motioning one of his men to attack. "Time to have some fun, Tsue."

The biggest one with an abnormally thick and huge _bo_ ran towards Sasuke. The boy throws his _kunais_ at the incoming enemy, who easily deflects the weapons with his _bo_. The man then shoots the end of his giant staff at the boy, who reacts by bending his back to avoid the blow. The man sees an opening and aims a low kick to the feet. Sasuke flips out of the stranger's range and lands with an attack ready.

"_Katon: Karyu Endan_!" he shouts. "Fire Release: Fire Dragon Flame Bullet!" He puts his hand up to his mouth and blows out a series of fire blasts at the big guy. With a grin, Tsue spins his _bo_ in front of him, shielding himself from the flaming attack. Sasuke is shocked to find the big stranger fly through his fire attack unfazed and come right for him.

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**A/N:** _Katon: __Faiawooru no Jutsu_ (Fire Release: Firewall Technique) and _Tora Tsume_ (Tiger Claw) are _jutsus_ I made up on my own. If they appear in _Naruto_ later, it's strictly coincidental. The _Kawarimi no Jutsu_ (Change of Body Technique) in _Naruto_ is more commonly referred to as the Replacement Technique, though it can also be known by its official label as the Change of Body Technique.

_Bijuu_ are the tailed beasts in _Naruto_, from the one-tailed Shukaku to the nine-tailed Kyubi. Rumor has it that there are seven other _bijuus_ yet to be shown in the Anime.

All _Naruto_ techniques referenced from Wikipedia search for _Naruto_ jutsu.


	4. Secrets Revealed! The Tora Family Blood

**Chapter 4: Secrets Revealed! The Tora Family Bloodline Limit!**

Tsue didn't give Sasuke a chance to move as he rushes in with his huge _bo_ for the finishing blow. Suddenly, a blur of blue and green dashes before the young _genin_ and stops in front of the boy to reveal Kakashi. The strong _jounin_ holds out his hand to block the attack and stop Tsue right in his tracks.

"_Nande_?" exclaims the big guy.

"Why don't you pick on someone your own size?" retorts Kakashi. "Oh right. There aren't any people your size."

With a ferocious growl, Tsue pulls back his _bo_ and swings it around to hit the _jounin_. Kakashi ducks effortlessly, grabs both Sasuke and Senko, and sprints out of harm's way.

"You're not getting away that easily," snarls a man with lengthy long cerulean hair, who attacks Kakashi with a three-bladed claw he wore on his left arm.

Kakashi manages to dodge the blades, but not without losing a handful of hair.

_This guy's fast_, he thought as he jumps away.

Kakashi sets Sasuke and Senko near Sakura and Naruto.

"I don't know what's going on," began the silver-haired _jounin_. "But don't let any of those men get Senko. No matter what."

"_Hai_," replied his three subordinates.

"Tsk, so troublesome," sighed the young member of the enemy's group. "Why do you all protect someone you don't even know?"

"What is it that you want with this girl?" demanded Kakashi.

"That's just between me and her," answered the young man. He looks over at Senko. "Isn't that right, _imoutosan_?"

_He called her 'little sister,'_ thought Sasuke. _That means…_

"So," began Kakashi. "You must be Kagerou."

"Oho?" exclaims Kagerou. "Has my _imoutosan_ been talking about me? That's not a nice thing to do, talking behind my back."

The young man focuses his attention on Senko.

"You have something I want," he says to her.

"You're not getting it," growls Senko.

"Why must you always do things the hard way, _imoutosan_?" sighed Kagerou, brushing some hair from his face. "Hasami."

"Yes sir," replied the man with the three-blades on his hand.

"Take care of these weaklings," orders Kagerou, motioning to Kakashi and the _genins_. "And Kobushi?"

"_Hai_," responded a man with spiked brown hair and a much more muscular body structure.

"Bring me my sister," commanded Kagerou with a smirk.

Senko, Kakashi, and the three _genins_ prepare themselves for a battle they might not win. As the two strangers advance towards them, a big puff of smoke suddenly billows in front of them. When the smoke cleared, a red frog with armor stood between the strangers and the Konoha ninjas. Perched on top of the frog was a white-haired man in his fifties.

"Ahh, behold the greatest man of all who possesses the ability to seduce women at will!" declares the middle-aged man. "It is I! The great frog tamer and one of the Legendary Sannins, Jiraiya!"

"Perfect; more weaklings," groans Kagerou. "This is getting too much."

"Shall I take care of him, Kagerou-_sama_?" inquires the fifth man with dark blue hair that ran down the length of his back.

"No, that won't be necessary, Gensou," assures Kagerou. "Let us retreat for now. There'll be other opportunities later."

"Understood," responded Gensou disappointedly.

With that said, all five of the intruders disappear in a blur of colors, leaving Senko and the four Konoha ninjas perplexed at their sudden exit. Confused, Jiraiya turns to Kakashi for answers.

"What was that all about?" he asks the _jounin_.

He looks over to the unknown girl they were protecting and sees something very familiar on her forehead.

_That symbol on her forehead protector_, thought Jiraiya. _I've seen it somewhere before_.

"Hmm, so you're a surviving inhabitant of Kouengakure," he says out loud.

Senko turns to the white-haired man and looks at him in amazement.

"Hmm," exclaims Jiraiya. "I thought so. That reaction of yours confirms it."

The foreign _kunoichi_ turns her eyes to the ground and remains silent.

"You don't have anything to fear," assures Jiraiya. "I know the story of your village. Since you don't have a permanent home, you're welcome to stay and live in Konoha."

"Live in Konoha?" repeated Senko.

She lifts her head to look at the Legendary Sannin.

"We'll provide a place for you to stay and everything," adds Jiraiya.

"You're all very kind," said Senko. "I thank you for helping me, but I don't want to trouble any of you."

"It's no trouble at all," assures Kakashi. "We're more than happy to add another ninja to our Konoha village family."

Tears began welling up in Senko's eyes. She has been on her own and alone for so long, she had forgotten what it was like to be part of a family. She clenches her fists tightly, trying to hold back the tears.

"_Arigatou_," she thanks them sincerely. "_Domo-arigatou_ everyone."

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

That night, Sasuke, Sakura, Naruto, and Kakashi all gather around Senko near a campfire.

"I'm thinking there is more to you than we realized," noted Kakashi, recalling the events of earlier in the day. "Would you mind telling us more about that incident that happened today?"

Senko sat in silence as the _jounin_ and _genins_ before her look on for an answer.

"In my noble family, the strongest _shinobis_ are empowered with the Chakra of _tora no youkais_ (tiger demon spirits)," began Senko. "Only the worthiest of the Tora family are chosen to be sealed with a _tora no youkai_ at birth. This began when a strong ancestor of mine hundreds of years ago fought courageously in a battle and protected the life of a demonic tiger in the process. In return, the tiger blesses my ancestor with the power of its spirit and since then, the spirits of tiger demons voluntarily seal themselves only in ninjas of my family bloodline."

She stops to look up at the night sky.

"Usually the males of my family are chosen to be containers for the powerful _tora no youkais_, with the occasional _kunoichi_ such as myself," she continues. "My brother, Kagerou, resents the family bloodline because I was chosen and he was not. Somehow along the way, he had managed to seal an evil _tora no youkai_ within himself and used that power to destroy my family and Kouengakure. Luckily, my _sensei_ used the _Shiki Fujin_ (Corpse Demon Seal Exhaustion) on him, extracting the evil _tora no youkai_ out of my brother and sacrificing his own life in the process."

Senko looks at her Konoha ninja friends.

"And now Kagerou is after me for the _tora no youkai_ inside me," she concludes. "But that won't be easy since the Chakra of my _tora no youkai_ and my Chakra have almost completely merged into one. If Kagerou is to succeed in extracting it, I will surely die in the process."

"That's not going to happen!" declares Naruto firmly. "We'll do whatever we can to prevent that. That Kagerou won't be able to lay a finger on you with us around."

"That's right," agrees Sakura. "You're our friend now Senko. We won't let anything bad happen to you.

Sasuke nods in agreement as well as Kakashi.

"_Domo-aritgatou_," thanks Senko with a smile.

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**A/N:** All _Naruto_ techniques referenced from Wikipedia search for _Naruto_ jutsu.


	5. Sakura's Upset! Battle of the Kunoichis!

**Chapter 5: Sakura's Upset! Battle of the Kunoichis!**

Senko sat alone on a rooftop gazing up at the bright morning sky. A couple of days ago, as promised, Jiraiya and the Godaime Hokage, Tsunade, gave the girl a place to stay near Naruto's own apartment. Senko has adapted quite well to her new home, and was slowly easing into the life of a Konoha villager. For perhaps the first time in a while, Senko felt safe and at ease. She lifts her hand to caress her forehead protector plate, which she had flipped back over to its smooth empty side. She suddenly hears a noise and looks down to see her noisy neighbor Naruto run off in one direction. Curious, Senko leaps off the roof and follows the blonde _genin_.

At a red bridge standing above a small river, Naruto runs onto the wooden planks to find his teammate and friend Sasuke leaning on the railing nonchalantly. The number one ninja in surprising people scans the bridge to find that his other teammate was nowhere to be found.

"_Omaesan_! _Omaesan_! Sasuke!" cried out Naruto. "Where's Sakura-_chan_?"

Before the Uchiha boy could reply, Kakashi appears overhead on a bridge post.

"O_hayou_," he greets his subordinates. He notices one of them was missing. "Where's Sakura?"

"She's home sick," answers Sasuke finally.

"Oh no; my dear Sakura-_chan_ is ill?" exclaims Naruto. "I must do something."

"It's just some coughing and sniffling," said Sasuke. "There's nothing to worry about. She'll be fine by tomorrow."

"Well, that's good to hear," says Kakashi. "However, our mission today might be a bit troublesome without our fourth teammate."

"We'll be fine," assures Sasuke.

Just then, Senko appears on a bridge post above them.

"_Ohayou_," she greets them with a smile. "What are you guys up to today?"

"Ah, Senko," spoke up Kakashi with an idea in mind. "Are you doing anything today?"

"Nope," replies the _kunoichi_. "Why do you ask?"

"I was wondering if you would like to join us on a mission," offers the silver-haired _jounin_.

"A mission?" repeats Senko. "But I'm not an official Konoha ninja. Would that still be okay?"

"As long as you're living in Konoha, you're an official Konoha ninja, even if you don't have the Hidden Village of Leaf's symbol on your forehead protector," says Kakashi. "How about it? You might as well start earning your keep."

Senko turns her eyes to the ground below her as she contemplates on Kakashi's offer. She looks at the three before her and smiles.

"Allright then," she answers.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sakura was lying in bed sniffling and coughing the day away. It was already far into the afternoon and the poor girl wasn't getting any better. She groans as she got up out of her bed to look at her mirror.

"_Oi_, I look like a zombie," she mutters, staring at her reflection.

Sakura turns her head to her room window, which was closed to prevent any chilly air from entering her humble abode. It also made her room stuffy to the point she couldn't stand it any longer. Sakura grabs her jacket and heads out the door to the outside world beyond her home.

"Sakura!" cries out her mother. "What are you doing?"

"Just getting some fresh air, _kaasan_!" replies the pink-haired _kunoichi_ as she left the germ-free security of her home.

Sakura took a deep breath once outside in the warm sunny air. She was glad to be out of her room, which she's starting to swear that it was what made her sick. She suddenly hears a bout of laughter and turns to find a familiar ninja team coming towards her as well as an extra member with whom she has yet to feel comfortable with.

"_Nani_!" screams out Inner Sakura. "Why is Senko hanging out with my team?"

Naruto notices his fellow teammate and waves at her with a shout.

"Sakura-_chan_!" he cries out. "How are you feeling?"

"I think I'm feeling better," answers Sakura.

She aims a threatening glare at Senko who seems to be standing a little too close to her precious Sasuke-_kun_.

"That's good to hear," commented Kakashi. "By the way Senko, I am impressed by your _Katon Faiawooru no Jutsu_ (Fire Release: Firewall Techinique). That's an amazing technique."

"Thank you," responds the black-haired _kunoichi_. "It's a technique that's been in my family for decades."

"Mmm, a Bloodline Limit technique," notes Kakashi.

"Bloodline Limit technique," repeats Naruto. "Sort of like Sasuke's Sharingan, right?"

"That's right," answers the Uchiha boy proudly.

"Heh, my _Katon: Faiawooru no Jutsu_ pales in comparison with your Sharingan, Sasuke," chuckles Senko.

"I disagree," argues Sasuke. "Like Kakashi said, your _Katon: Faiawooru no Jutsu_ is most impressive. You're more of an equal to me than Naruto here."

"_Oi_! _Oi_!" exclaims Naruto upsettingly. "Are you asking for a fight?"

"Yeah," answers Sasuke. "But if you're the one who wants to do battle with me, then it won't be much of a fight now would it?"

Naruto was going to punch his teammate's lights out until Senko stops him.

"Now, now," she assures calmingly. "Naruto's not too bad of a fighter once you've battled him. Speaking of which, when am I going to get the chance to fight _you_, Sasuke? I'm eager to see how my _tora no youkai_ will do against your Sharingan."

"We'll find out soon enough," assures Sasuke with a smirk.

Sakura's blood began to boil seeing Sasuke speak to Senko.

"Sasuke's interested in her because she's a strong ninja!" screams Inner Sakura. "How am I supposed to compete with that?"

"Um, hey," spoke up Sakura. "I'm starting to feel better now so I should be able to go back to doing missions tomorrow."

"All's well that ends well I guess," clichés Senko. She turns to the two boys with a smile. "Thanks for inviting me to do a mission with you guys. It was quite fun."

"Heh, if we ever need a fifth ninja, you're first on our list," assures Naruto, crossing his hands behind his head.

"Aiee," scoffs Sakura. "Even Naruto likes her."

"_Ja ne_," Senko bids the group goodbye before heading back to her apartment.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

The next afternoon Senko went exploring all over Konoha, investigating every nook and cranny of the village she could find. She manages to come upon the village hot springs, where she concentrates her Chakra into the soles of her feet in order to literally walk on the extreme temperature water. She hears someone shout her name and turns her head to find Sakura standing near the edge of the water.

"_Konnichiwa_ Sakura!" she greets the Konoha ninja with a smile.

"_Konnichiwa_, Senko," Sakura greets back hesitantly.

Still standing on the water, Senko turns around to face the girl.

"What's up?" she asks her.

"Uhm," utters Sakura. "Senko… I want to… I want to fight you."

"_Nande_?" exclaims Senko in surprise. "Why?"

"Because," replies Sakura. "I want to see how strong you are."

"I'm strong enough to take on Naruto and Sasuke all by myself," retorts Senko. "You've known them and their strength longer than me so you should be able to compare your strength to theirs pretty easily. There's no need to fight."

"What's wrong?" asks Sakura. "Afraid you don't stand a chance against me?"

Senko creases her eyes and looks at the girl curiously.

"Are you challenging me?" she wonders.

"_Hai_," answers Sakura firmly.

"In that case," began Senko. "I accept."

The two _kunoichis_ head over to the _genin_ training grounds where months ago Sakura and her team were fighting to snatch two bells from their superior, Kakashi. They face each other as a cool breeze blows by, caressing the leaves of the trees nearby. Sakura confidently takes off her headband and ties it around her forehead, her own way of saying she's serious about fighting.

"Are you sure about this?" Senko asks her.

"Are you afraid I'll beat you?" retorts Sakura.

"Humph," scoffs Senko. "In your dreams. I'll beat you with just _taijutsu_."

Sakura growls in response as she ran towards the girl. She aims her first _kunai_ for Senko's head but finds it being deflected by the girl's quick hand.

"_Bushin no Jutsu_!" she cries out. "Clone Technique!"

In seconds, a squad of Sakura's surrounds the ninja from Kouen. Senko simply closes her eyes and takes a deep breath. Sensing the real Sakura, she attacks in that direction with a direct punch. The original Sakura falls to the ground on her back while her clones disappear as if they were nothing, which is close to the truth. She wipes a drivel of blood from the corner of her mouth as Senko turns to face her.

"Is that all you've got?" wonders Senko. With a growl, Sakura runs towards the girl with hands armed with _kunais_. She throws them at Senko, who immediately deflects them with her _kodachis_ with ease. Suddenly, she hears a cry from behind as she turns to find Sakura flying towards her.

_What the…?_ thought Senko. _How'd she get behind me? She must've used the Henge no Jutsu (Transformation Technique) to change into a kunai when I wasn't looking and then used Kawarimi no Jutsu (Replacement Technique) to switch with one of the kunais she threw at me. Heh, she's clever, but not clever enough._

The black-haired girl merely spun around quickly to deliver a blow from below.

"_Senpuu Keru_!" she cries out. "Whirlwind Kick!"

The attack makes direct contact with Sakura's face and sends the girl flying into the ground below her. Groaning in pain, Sakura tries to get up but is too beaten to move.

"Looks like you can't fight anymore," notes Senko. "Guess that means I win this fight."

She walks over to Sakura to offer her hand. Surprised, Sakura takes it and Senko helps her up.

"Tell me," says Senko. "Why did you challenge me to a fight? You're not like Naruto and Sasuke who have the determination and the will to back up their challenges."

Sakura looks down at the ground for an answer, but none came to mind.

"You should really work on your _jutsus_ a lot more," suggests Senko. "If you have the time to think about Sasuke, then you should have the time to train yourself more."

Sakura's eyes open wide as Senko's words trigger an event from the past…

-Flashback-

It was the Second Part of the Chuunin Exam. Sakura was the only one conscious in the dangerous Forest of Death. Sasuke and Naruto were both out of commission. It was up to her to protect her teammates from their enemies. But she soon discovers that despite her determination, she was not strong enough to hold back the ninjas from the Hidden Village of Sound. She grimaces in defeat as the ninja known as Kin keeps a strong grip on the Konoha _kunoichi's_ pink hair.

"If you have the time to take care of your hair, then you should spend it training more," said the Sound ninja.

-End of flashback-

Senko notices the strange look on Sakura's face and sighs.

"You don't seem to be taking your job as seriously as Naruto and Sasuke," she noted. "I always see them train at least once a day while you're off doing who knows what."

Sakura knows this is true. She's never even once thought of getting stronger though she does work on improving on her ninja skills.

"It makes me wonder," said Senko. "If you even want to be a ninja in the first place."

Sakura shows no reaction to her words but Senko knows they struck a chord in the girl's mind.

"Don't be a ninja for someone else," advises Senko. "Be a ninja for yourself. It's your life. You should do what makes you happy."

"But," utters Sakura. "I really do want to be a ninja. I'm happy to be a ninja."

"You sure don't show it," retorts Senko. "If you want to continue being a ninja then I suggest you should act like it. Your skills are basic at most and you're not even strong enough to take my weakest attack, _Senpuu Keru_ (Whirlwind Kick). If we were enemies, I could take you down in less than a minute without any hesitation."

Sakura became silent as the harsh reality sinks in. There's no excuse for not training as much as she should. She knows for a fact that were not for Sasuke and Naruto's strength, she would've been done for a long time ago.

Senko puts Sakura's arm around her neck and holds onto Sakura's waist to support the girl. She then leaps up with a thrust of her legs onto a roof. From there she makes her way to the Konoha hospital. One the way over, she talks to Sakura some more.

"Maybe if you trained more and became stronger, Sasuke just might be interested in you," says Senko with a small smile.

Sakura looks up at the girl with surprised eyes.

"I know you only fought me because Sasuke took an interest in me," explains Senko. "If you really want to attract Sasuke, get stronger."

"But I…" mumbles Sakura.

"Don't think about it; just do it," says Senko. "If you really want Sasuke to notice you, you've got to get stronger. Or at least improve your ninja skills."

Sakura continues to look up at the girl.

"Do you…" she began.

"Do I what?" asks Senko. "Do I like Sasuke?"

Sakura turns her eyes away in embarassment.

"I like him as a friend and a fellow strong ninja," answers Senko. "I generally won't like someone until I get to know him or her better. Maybe if I grew up with Sasuke, I might like him. But right now, I just like him as a friend, nothing more."

She feels Sakura's body relax as she hops from rooftop to rooftop.

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**A/N:** _Katon: __Faiawooru no Jutsu_ (Fire Release: Firewall Technique) and_ Senpuu Keru _(Whirlwind Kick) are _jutsus_ I made up, the latter based off of the _Streetfighter_ character Chun Li's attack. If they appear in _Naruto_ later, it's strictly coincidental. All _Naruto_ techniques referenced from Wikipedia search for _Naruto_ jutsu.


	6. Forged From Tears! The Tora Tsume Techni

**Chapter 6: Forged From Tears! The Tora Tsume Technique!**

"Aiee! Sakura-_chan_!"

Sakura awakens to a familiarly annoying voice and turns her head to see a certain blonde ninja sitting at her side.

"_Konnichiwa_, Sakura-_chan_!" greets Naruto with a grin that stretched from ear to ear. "How are you feeling?"

"A little better," replies the pink-haired _kunoichi_, giving a small reassuring smile.

She looks around to find herself in a Konoha Hospital room. Her injuries had been cared for and parts of her arm were bandaged up. She felt some pain when she moves them but not too much to be too uncomfortable in.

"You're as much of a _dobe_ as Naruto here."

Sakura whips her eyes to the other side of the bed to find Sasuke leaning nonchalantly on the wall.

"Sasuke-_kun_," she exclaims quietly.

"You've just recovered from your illness and you go get yourself into a fight soon afterwards," adds Sasuke. "Only a _baka_ would be dumb enough to start moving after recovering."

"_Oi_, Sasuke!" spoke up Naruto. "Don't say things like that to Sakura!"

"I'm just telling the truth," assures Sasuke. "Even I would've waited at least a day after I recovered from injuries before doing anything foolish."

Sakura remains silent as she sat up in bed and looked down at her sheets. "It's a good thing Senko-_chan_ found you and brought you here," notes Naruto. "Who knows what would've happened if you had been outside for too long."

Sakura's eyes lit up upon hearing this. Did they know about…?

"Senko told us you were training soon after you recovered from your illness," explains Sasuke. "She said you had collapse from the strenuous workout and so she brought you here."

_What?_ thought Sakura. _She didn't tell them. She didn't want me to get into trouble so she made up that scenario. I completely misjudged her._

"Eh? Sakura-_chan_? You okay?" utters Naruto with concern. "You've been pretty quiet."

"So where's Senko?" wonders Sakura.

"Don't know," replies Sasuke. "She left soon after we arrived."

_I see_, thought Sakura. _She didn't want to intrude so she wanted us to be together by ourselves. Senko, I'm so sorry for being so bitter towards you. Please forgive me._

"Well, I've got to get back to my training," declares Sasuke.

"Oh yeah, me too," adds Naruto. "It's good to see you well, Sakura."

"Don't strain yourself again," warns Sasuke.

"I won't," assures Sakura.

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Senko sat upon the roof of her apartment as she looks up at the blue sky above. A gentle breeze blows by, rustling her clothes and cooling her face and body. She looks down at her right hand, which was curled up into the claw position for her _Tora Tsume_ (Tiger Claw) technique. Clenching her fist tightly, she recalls the days back before Kouen was destroyed.

-Flashback-

"_Niisan_, wait for me!"

Six-year-old Senko dashes after her thirteen-year-old brother in the outdoor walkway of their home. Right before she reaches the teenage boy, the poor girl slips and falls flat on her face onto the hardwood planks.

"Senko!" exclaims Kagerou, kneeling down to help his sister up. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah," answers Senko holding her face.

"Heh heh," chuckles Kagerou. "You took a pretty good blow in the face. Looks like the floor just might be your toughest opponent."

"That's not funny!" exclaims Senko embarrassingly, shaking her head so that her deep black hair whips around her face.

"Heh, you'd think someone who was born in the Year of the Tiger would be a lot more careful," jokes Kagerou, scratching his short black hair.

"I'll get stronger," assures Senko. "After all, like _tousan_ and _kaasan_ said, members of the Tora Clan who are born in the Year of the Tiger are a lot stronger than those who aren't."

"That doesn't matter," retorts Kagerou. "You still have to work hard just like the rest of us."

"I know that!" exclaims Senko. "There's no shortcut to being a strong and great ninja, right _niisan_?"

"That's right," affirms Kagerou with a gentle smile.

-End of flashback-

"You were so nice back then, Kagerou," Senko says to herself. "What changed?"

-Flashback-

It was soon after Senko's tenth birthday when the Bloodline Ceremony commenced. This ceremony takes place whenever members of the Tora Clan turn ten years old. It is a declared revelation of who had been sealed with a _tora no youkai_ at birth and who had not. It was an event designed to reveal secrets to the younger generation when they have come of age so they would not be alarmed or surprised by anything that happens due to their hidden power. The adults and elders understood that everyone has a right to know why they are the way they are. But this ceremony is a double-edged sword, for it also isolates the sealed children from the unsealed children due to their special abilities.

It was during this ceremony when Senko discovers that she had been sealed with a _tora no youkai_ when she was born. She eagerly runs up to her brother ecstatic and enthusiastic.

"_Niisan_! _Niisan_!" she cries out. "I have the power of a _tora no youkai_! This is the best day of my life!"

She stops suddenly when she saw the desolate look of contempt in her brother's eyes. She shudders fearfully from the awkward silence that followed.

"_Niisan_," she exclaims. "What's wrong?"

Kagerou didn't say a word as he turns to walk away from his little sister.

That evening, Senko sits down to dinner with her mother and father. Her brother, Kagerou, was nowhere to be found.

"_Tousan_, _kaasan_," spoke up Senko. "What's wrong with _niisan_?"

Her father and mother both pause and stiffen at the sound of their daughter's question.

"He's been acting strangely these past few days," adds Senko. "I feel as though he hates me, but why would he hate me? What reason does he have to hate me?"

Both parents lay their heads down as they slowly went back to eating.

"Why won't you guys say anything?" Senko yells out angrily, slamming her hand onto the table. "I can't stand this negative tension between me and _niisan_! It's killing me!"

"Senko," exclaims her mother. She looks over to her husband who continued to eat. "Ronin!"

"Ichi," spoke up her father in response.

"We should tell her, Ronin," said Ichi. "She has a right to know. He's her brother."

"There's no reason for her to know," said Ronin firmly. "It'll serve no purpose. She should focus on her training instead of her brother."

"But Ronin!" exclaims Ichi.

"If you want to know so much," said Ronin, turning to his daughter. "Your brother… wasn't chosen."

Senko's eyes open wide in shock. She now realizes why her brother had been so unwelcoming to her. During the Bloodline Ceremony, only members of the Tora Clan who were ten years of age or older could participate. The rest who were nine years old and younger were not allowed to even be told who was sealed and who wasn't. That was why Senko didn't know about her brother's result until now.

"I see," exclaims the young _kunoichi_. "That's why… That's why _niisan_ has been treating me the way he has."

"So now you know," said Ronin, who went back to his eating.

The next day, Senko walks over to the Tora Clan's training grounds. It was here where Senko was taught and mastered the Bloodline Limit technique, the _Katon: Faiawooru no Jutsu_ (Fire Release: Firewall Technique). Performance or even mastery of the technique is a sign of a Tora Clan ninja's come of age and those who have are acknowledged with praise and respect. Kagerou had managed to master the technique at the age ofseven whereas Senko performed it at the age of eight.

Looking at the boulder training targets, Senko curls her right hand up into a claw position. Chakra began concentrating into her hand as she began feeling angry.

"Why?" she wonders out loud. "Why me? Why was _I_ sealed and not _niisan_? WHY?"

She dashes towards the biggest boulder thrusts her hand into it with a cry of anger. The force cracks the rocky exterior and tunnels into the boulder with great power. A huge explosion ensues and the boulder was nothing more than bits and pieces of pebbles. Senko breathes heavily as her Chakra continues to envelop her right claw-shaped hand. Tears began flowing out of her eyes and ran down her cheeks.

"_Niisan_ is stronger and smarter than me," she cries out. "_He_ should've been sealed instead of me. What could _I_ do with a _tora no youkai_ inside of me? I'm not worthy!"

-End of flashback-

Senko felt something flow down her face. She puts her hand up to her cheek and pulls it away to find water on the tips of her fingers.

"What's this?" she wonders. "Am I crying again?"

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**A/N:** _Katon: __Faiawooru no Jutsu_ (Fire Release: Firewall Technique) and _Tora Tsume_ (Tiger Claw) are _jutsus_ I made up. If they appear in _Naruto_ later, it's strictly coincidental. All _Naruto_ techniques referenced from Wikipedia search for _Naruto_ jutsu.


	7. Painful Past

**Chapter 7: Painful Past**

Senko lies down upon the warm shingles of the roof as she continues to look up at the blue sky above her. Putting her hands behind her head, she remembers more of her life back in Kouen.

-Flashback-

"Senko? Are you allright?"

Senko looks up with a tear-stained face after having destroyed the biggest of the training grounds' target boulders to find her close friend, Yoshimi Makoto, standing at the gate of her clan's home. He ran up to her, his short dark brown hair flowing over his forehead protector and his _chuunin_ uniform constricting his navy blue _shinobi_ outfit underneath.

"Makoto-_kun_," she exclaims as she hastily wipes away her tears.

"Were you crying, Senko-_chan_?" he asks her upon walking up to her. "Whatever for?"

"It's nothing," assures Senko. "I'm allright."

"I don't think so," confirms Makoto. "What's wrong?"

Senko became silent as she looks at the ground.

"You can tell me, Senko-_chan_," assures Makoto, laying a finger-gloved hand on her shoulder.

After finding a bench to sit down on, Senko tells Makoto about her brother's odd behavior and the reason he has been acting that way. Makoto crosses his arms and looks down at the ground.

"I see," he says after she was done. "You're brother has no right to treat you the way he does. It's not like you guys have a choice in deciding who gets sealed and who doesn't."

"That's true," agrees Senko. "The decision to become sealed in whoever they wish lies with the _tora no youkais_ themselves."

"That's right," adds Makoto. "So you shouldn't blame yourself for the way your brother treats you. He's just jealous, that's all."

"I guess so," says Senko hesitantly.

"Besides," began Makoto. "He's just being childish. I don't have a _tora no youkai_ sealed inside of me and I'm still a quite excellent ninja."

"That's true," agrees Senko. "Anyone can become a great ninja, regardless of whether or not they have special powers or not."

"Right," adds Makoto with a reassuring nod.

He leans over to give Senko an unexpected hug, which not only surprised Senko but also made her blush a little.

"What's that for?" she asks him. 

"I don't know," he replies. "You just looked like you needed a hug."

Senko's eyes began welling up, but she prevents her tears from falling by closing her eyes and leaning into her best friend.

-End of flashback-

"Makoto-_kun_," exclaims Senko, sitting up. "Even then, deep down we both knew something bad was coming." She jumps off the roof and dashes towards the Konoha forests scattered throughout the village.

-Flashback-

Senko and Makoto were walking back to Kouen after completing a Class-A mission with their fellow teammate and friend Himura Shiro and their _jounin_ superior Tantou Wazashi. Shiro kept declaring how great he was in the mission when in fact Senko and Makoto did most of the work. Of course, Wazashi made no comments about it, knowing the young blue spike-haired _chuunin_ will eventually get his just desserts.

As they neared Kouen, Wazashi quickly notices the air feeling a little more humid than it was a few miles back. He brushes his dark green hair out of his eyes to see a series of smoke billow out of the direction they were heading in. His eyes went wide with shock as his subordinates and he came closer to Kouen, which was burning brightly with ominous fire.

"Oh my gosh!" Senko cries out as she and her teammates broke into a frantic run towards their home village.

"Senko! Makoto! Shiro!" Wazashi yells out at them as he ran.

The four of them went into the village finding their homes ablaze and no one around.

"_Kaasan_! _Tousan_!" the young _chuunins_ cry out desperately for their parents.

"_Niisan_!" adds Senko.

Suddenly, the four ninjas see a dark figure amidst the flames. The figure emerges through the fire to face them, armed with several _shinobi_ weapons.

"Kagerou!" exclaims Wazashi. "What happened here?"

"_Niisan_!" exclaims Senko gladly. "I'm so glad you're okay."

Kagerou remains silent as he began walking towards the four ninjas. Wazashi immediately recognizes the look in the seventeen-year-old _chuunin's_ eyes and steps in front of his subordinates.

"Wazashi-_sensei_," exclaims Makoto. "What's wrong?"

"Everyone, stay back!" commanded the green-haired _jounin_.

"What's going on?" wonders Shiro. "It's just Kagerou."

"_Niisan_," said Senko. Her eyes widen in horror upon seeing splatters of blood all over her brother when he came close. "Blood? Why is there blood on _niisan_?"

"What have you done, Kagerou?" demanded Wazashi fiercely.

In response, Kagerou simply began chuckling, which then turned into a maniacal laughter.

"Sharp as always, Wazashi-_kun_," said the black-haired _jounin_. "To answer the question that's floating around in your mind, yes, I did attack and destroyed the village."

Wazashi and his _chuunin_ subordinates all gasp in horror at Kagerou's reply.

"No," vociferates Senko, clenching her fists. "I don't believe it. I knew you hated me, but why take it out on the village?"

"My dear _imoutosan_," began Kagerou. "My dear foolish _imoutosan_. I'll tell you since you want to know so badly."

Senko looks at him, afraid of what his reply would be.

"I initially took my anger out on our family," answers Kagerou emotionlessly. "I killed everyone without mercy. But my desire to kill wasn't satisfied with just killing our family alone, so I decided to attack the entire village itself."

"Y-you killed our family?" stutters Senko.

"Yes, I did," replies Kagerou. "As of now, we are the only living members of the has-been Tora Clan."

"But, but why?" asks Senko, tears forming in her eyes. "Why did you do that?"

"I wanted to test out my new strength," answers Kagerou.

"What are you talking about?" demanded Wazashi.

"I sealed an evil _tora no youkai_ within me," explains Kagerou. "Now I have powers just like the sealed ninjas of the Tora Clan."

"Test out your new strength," Senko reiterates in a low voice. "You used our family and the people of Kouen as guinea pigs to test out your new strength!"

She looks at her brother with now blood-red eyes and slit pupils. Her canines had sharpened and grown a little as she clenches her teeth in growing anger. She could feel the power of her _tora no youkai_ surge through her body as she got angrier and angrier. Once fully powered, Senko strikes out at her brother with full force.

"Senko!" Wazashi calls out to her.

Senko curls her right hand into a claw as she envelops it with her demonic red Chakra.

"_Tora Tsume_!" she cries out as she thrusts her hand towards her brother's chest. "Tiger Claw!"

Senko's eyes widen in surprise, as does her teammates, when her hand is quickly caught by her brother's unseen fast hand.

"Making up your own techniques now I see," comments Kagerou. "Who do you think you are?"

He shoots an ominous glare at his sister before slowly tightening his grip on her wrist.

"Senko!" Makoto cries out as he hears her scream in pain.

He takes out three of his _kunais_ and shoots them at Kagerou, who immediately deflects it with his free hand armed with his own _kunai_.

"Hold on Senko!" assures Shiro as he and Makoto ran at the Tora Clan members.

"Shiro! Makoto!" yells out Wazashi. "You two aren't strong enough! Get back here!"

Shiro and Makoto both took out their _kunais_ and leap up high into the air. They then proceed to rain their weapons down onto Kagerou. Creasing his eyes, Kagerou releases his sister and the two Tora Clan members jump back to safety. Makoto and Shiro land near their injured teammate.

"Senko, are you allright?" asks Makoto.

"I'm fine," answers the _kunoichi_. "Don't worry about me."

The three of them line up in their attack formation, prepared to take on their own fellow villager. Just then, Kagerou began doing a series of hand seals. Senko immediately recognizes the seal and tells her teammates to run back. No sooner had they gotten halfway to their superior that Kagerou finally unleashes his most powerful attack.

"_Katon: Faiawooru no Jutsu_!" he yells out. "Fire Release: Firewall Technique!"

Wazashi watches in horror as his three subordinates are engulfed in the ferocious flames of the Tora Clan Bloodline Limit technique.

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**A/N:** _Katon: __Faiawooru no Jutsu_ (Fire Release: Firewall Technique) and _Tora Tsume_ (Tiger Claw)are _jutsus_ I made up. If they appear in _Naruto_ later, it's strictly coincidental. All _Naruto_ techniques referenced from Wikipedia search for _Naruto_ jutsu.


	8. It Must Be Done! Scarring Sacrifices!

**Chapter 8: It Must Be Done! Scarring Sacrifices!**

Senko continues to run through the forests of Konoha as she recalls that fateful day when her superior lost his life.

-Flashback-

When the dust has settled, Wazashi looks in horror at the scene before him. Senko, Makoto, and Shiro were all lying down in the dirt, badly beaten and injured beyond compare. He thought they had died until he saw their chests rising and falling.

"Thank goodness," he exclaims in relief. "They're still alive."

He glances over to the huge crater and spots Kagerou coming out of it. Thinking fast, he rushes over to the fallen _chuunins_ and takes them out of harm's way. Setting them down in a clear space, he turns to face Kagerou.

"It's about time I got myself a challenge," laughs Kagerou as he approaches the green-haired _jounin_.

"Your reign of terror ends now!" declares Wazashi as he began collecting Chakra into his left hand. "This is something a fellow ninja once taught me."

Kagerou smiles as he watches the man try to beat him with a technique he's not familiar with.

"_Raikiri_!" yells out Wazashi. "Lightening Edge!"

He ran at the young _jounin_, dragging his Chakra-filled hand which sparked with bright, blue light. Once upon Kagerou, Wazashi thrusts it into the young man's chest, the Chakra surging everywhere. Kagerou screams out in pain as Wazashi forces his attack into the young man's body. Kagerou flies back from the force of the attack and lands on his back six feet away. Wazashi watches as the young man slowly got up to his feet.

"Heh, that's new," chuckles Kagerou.

"You haven't seen my best technique yet," retorts Wazashi.

He began doing some hand seals, which summons the dreadful Shinigami (God of Death) as a translucent being holding a mysterious body-shaped Chakra. Kagerou looks at the anomaly fearfully as Wazashi ran up to him and grabs hold of the young man's shoulder. Kagerou watches in horror as Shinigami thrusts his hand into the Chakra figure and comes out of Wazashi's stomach. The hand then went into Kagerou's body and slowly began dragging out something.

"What is this?" Kagerou demanded.

"_Shiki Fujin_!" cries out Wazashi. "Corpse Demon Seal Exhaustion!"

"What the hell?" exclaims the surprised Kagerou, feeling the hand in his body.

"What do you think of it?" chuckles Wazashi. "This technique seals a soul inside of me at the price of my own life as well as the target. Guess who's my target."

"You bastard!" spat Kagerou.

Wazashi grunts and groans as he uses his Chakra to pull out Kagerou's soul. When Kagerou sees half of his soul coming out, he started desperately using his Chakra to pull it back in. The tug-of-war of Kagerou's soul went on for several minutes, which seemed like forever. Suddenly, Kagerou's soul began inching its way back into its owner's body.

"It would seem that youth has a big role in his fight," chuckles Kagerou as he pulls the rest of his soul back into him.

"If I can't have your soul," began Wazashi. "Then I'll just take another."

Kagerou's eyes widen in horror as Shinigami's hand began pulling out the dark _tora no youkai_ inside of him.

"No!" he exclaims.

Senko stirs weakly and opens her eyes to see two figures battling each other. Sitting up, she slowly began remembering what was going on. She looks to her sides to see her teammates and friends unconscious and not moving.

"Makoto-_kun_! Shiro!" she cries out as she shakes them awake.

"S-senko-_chan_?" exclaims Makoto as he got up along with Shiro.

"Ow, my head," notes Shiro.

All three of them turn to see their _sensei_, Wazashi, battle Kagerou. Shiro notices the transparent figure of Shinigami and cries out in fear.

"What the hell is that?" he yells, pointing at the ghost.

"What's going on?" wonders Makoto.

"I don't know," answers Senko.

The tiger spirit roars fiercefully as the demonic hand pulls it free of its human body.

"Nooo!" screams Kagerou as Wazashi fell back weak and exhausted.

The dark tiger spirit was sealed into the green-haired _jounin's_ stomach and the five element seal appears on his body. Kagerou stumbles back from the force but manages to balance himself out. He walks over to the dying Wazashi and glares down angrily at him.

"You think you've won?" he asks him. "YOU THINK YOU'VE WON?"

Kagerou began performing hand seals as the three _chuunins_ looked on helplessly.

"_Katon: Faiawooru no Jutsu_!" he screams out. "Fire Release: Firewall Technique!"

Makoto, Senko, and Shiro could do nothing but watch the dreadful fire technique rush out at them at full speed. They were too weak to run away or fight back. Suddenly, Makoto makes a last minute decision.

"Senko-_chan_!" he cries out, jumping over her body as Shiro screams.

The fiery attack engulfs everything within a half-mile radius of Kagerou. When the smoke cleared and the dust settled, the village of Kouen was nothing more than a huge crater. Once done, Kagerou weakly wanders off to heal himself. Senko opens her eyes to see the face of her best friend Makoto on top of her.

"Makoto-_kun_?" she says, gently pushing the boy off of her. "Makoto-_kun_?"

The boy remained silent and his body limp, his dark brown hair falling over his face.

"Makoto-_kun_!" she nearly screams.

Suddenly, Makoto's eyes began stirring and opens up slightly.

"Senko?" he groans, turning his head to look at her. "What happened?"

"Kagerou destroyed everything," answers Senko. "We're all that's left."

"Where's Shiro? And Wazashi-_sensei_?" he asks.

The two of them sat up and scanned the area in search of life. A few feet away from them, Shiro laid on his side, not moving at all.

"Shiro!" they cried out, running to their fallen comrade.

Makoto takes his index and middle finger and feels the boy's neck. He pulls back sadly upon feeling no pulse at all. Senko looks at him hopefully but her eyes fill with sadness when he shakes his head. Getting up, they walked over to their superior, who lays just as motionless as their comrade. Fortunately, he was still alive and breathing.

"Makoto; Senko," the _jounin_ groans. "Where's Shiro?"

"Shiro's dead," replies Makoto.

"I see," responds Wazashi mournfully.

He began coughing up blood.

"Wazashi-_sensei_!" exclaims Senko.

"It looks like I won't be your _sensei_ for long," gasps Wazashi. "I used the forbidden technique _Shiki Fujin_ in order to remove Kagerou's dark _tora no youkai_. But in exchange, I had to sacrifice my own life."

"No, you can't leave us!" yelled out Senko.

"_Gomen-nasai_, Senko, Makoto," apologizes Wazashi. "If only things had turned out better…"

The two _chuunins_ watch as their superior takes his final breath and dies before their eyes.

"Wazashi-_sensei_," exclaims Makoto.

Suddenly, he too began coughing up blood.

"No! Not you too Makoto-_kun_!" cries out Senko.

"I'm so sorry, Senko-_chan_," apologizes Makoto. "I used my body as a shield to protect you from Kagerou's attack. I guess I wasn't strong enough."

"No, Makoto-_kun_," responds Senko, tears welling up in her eyes. "You're the strongest person I know. Even stronger than me. Please don't leave me!"

"Don't be sad, Senko-_chan_," said Makoto. "I'll always be with you, whether you see me or not."

-End of flashback-

Senko lands in a clearing and looks down at the ground as the sunlight beams down on her back. The grass at her feet were suddenly greeted by salty drops of water as tears rained down from the _kunoichi's_ eyes.

"Makoto-_kun_!" she cries out. "I miss you so much!"

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**A/N:** _Katon: __Faiawooru no Jutsu_ (Fire Release: Firewall Technique) is a _jutsu_ I made up. If it appears in _Naruto_ later, it's strictly coincidental. All _Naruto_ techniques referenced from Wikipedia search for _Naruto_ jutsu.


End file.
